Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer men can face. Yet many men do not completely understand their risks or what they should do about it. It is a good idea to get familiar with some of the risks and facts associated with prostate cancer. Take a look at four fast facts about prostate cancer every male in the population should know. 

You may be at a higher risk if you are African American. 

Prostate cancer is far more prevalent in African American males, so this is something to keep in mind if you are African American. Compared to a Caucasian male, you are 76 percent more likely to develop the disease and twice as likely to have a fatal outcome from the disease. Therefore, it is critical to get screened as soon as your doctor feels you should.

The tools used for screening for prostate cancer are getting more advanced. 

Thanks to advancements in modern technology, prostate cancer tends to be caught at much earlier ages and in much earlier stages than it once was. This is the biggest reason why survival rates for this particular type of cancer have gone up so drastically. Things like MRI-guided prostate biopsies are used if Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) levels are abnormal, and these greatly improve the chances of a proper diagnosis.

Many men don't have recognizable symptoms of prostate cancer when they are diagnosed. 

Unlike many other types of cancer, prostate cancer can be pretty sneaky. The physical symptoms that do come about are not always that obvious, and most can be relative to basic problems. For example, a man may have trouble urinating if he has prostate cancer, but he may also have this problem if he has issues with his kidneys, a urinary infection, or simply an enlarged prostate due to some other issue. This is one reason why it is so very important to know your risks and get screened properly. Cancer could be present without you feeling like there is a major problem. 

Some men should be screened earlier than others. 

It is a general rule that all men should be screened for prostate cancer once they turn 50. However, some men will need to be screened earlier than others because their risks may be higher. According to the American Cancer Society, men with a first-degree relative (father, son, or brother, for example) who had prostate cancer should be screened at the age of 40.

Contact a prostate cancer specialist in your area to learn more.